A Melbourne kindergarten is raising the alarm after a teenage work experience student was allegedly approached by a stranger in a white van.
Gellibrand Kinder in Reservoir said the alleged incident occurred when the young staff member was on her lunch break and was approached by an unknown man.
The kindergarten reported the alleged incident to authorities, with police now investigating whether an offence occurred.
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The incident has raised concerns about safety in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, with the kindergarten taking steps to alert the community about the alleged approach.
Police are continuing their investigation into the matter involving the white van and the alleged interaction with the teenage student.
It’s not the first time Melbourne has dealt with allegations of white van abductions.
Half a dozen incidents believed to be abduction attempts plagued the city last year.
Four children aged between 10 and 15 were reportedly targeted in incidents — which are not believed to be linked — involving men driving white vans in the suburbs of Tullamarine, Blackburn, Doncaster and Boronia, with the first incident occurring on November 18.
Another two Year 6 students were allegedly approached by a man in Melbourne’s northwest in December as they were walking home from school.
At the time Alfred Health youth psychiatrist Doctor Paul Denborough told 7NEWS it was reasonable for parents to be worried, but that it was important they make sure their children felt safe.
“I think as a parent you’re always trying to balance the protection of your children versus also not making them overly anxious or being overprotective,” he said.
“It’s a really tricky thing to manage.
“The key is about parents and family supporting each other and the local community supporting each other.”
There was a separate alleged incident in March of this year when a man in a dark-coloured sedan approached a 12-year-old girl on her way to school in Melbourne’s southeast.
The secondary school student from Caulfield Grammar’s Caulfield campus was waiting at the bus stop when she was allegedly approached about 7.30am.
The man reportedly pulled over at bus stop 9 on the corner of Albion Rd and High St at Glen Iris, and asked the student “if she wanted a lift,” Victoria Police said.
The girl, who did not know the man, refused his offer, walked away, and then got onto a bus.
The school sent out a statement to parents of students from multiple campuses, warning them of the incident and urging them to have conversations with their children about how they respond to unexpected encounters of this nature.
All staff at the Caulfield Campus were briefed about the “concerning incident,” deputy principal Meg Adem said in an update to parents.
Age-appropriate conversations were also had with students at the primary school campus in Malvern, the school’s deputy principal Prue Petsinis said.
“We have met with and supported the student involved, and their family, and the matter has been reported to police,” Adem said.
“We ask that students are vigilant when catching public transport and walking to and from school.”
She was not physically injured, police said.
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